What is a donor-advised fund?

A donor-advised fund (DAF) provides donors with a centralized charitable giving vehicle. It allows philanthropically inclined individuals, families, and corporations to make an irrevocable charitable gift to a public charity that sponsors a DAF program and take an immediate tax deduction. Most sponsoring organizations of DAFs accept cash equivalents, securities, and certain other assets.

If you're ready to make a gift, click the blue DAFpay button to get started.

How does it work?

1. Establish your DAF by making an irrevocable, tax-deductible donation to a public charity that sponsors a DAF program
2. Advise the investment allocation of the donated assets (any investment growth is tax-free)
3. Recommend grants to qualified public charities of your choice

What are the main advantages of a donor-advised fund? 

• Simplicity — The DAF sponsor handles all recordkeeping, disbursements, and tax receipts
• Flexibility —Timing of your tax deduction can be separate from your charitable decision making
• Tax efficiency — Contributions are tax-deductible, and any investment growth in the DAF is tax-free. It is also easy to donate long-term appreciated securities, eliminating capital gains taxes and allowing you to support several charities from one block of stock.
• Family legacy — A DAF is a powerful way to build or continue a tradition of family philanthropy.
• No start-up costs — There is no cost to establish a donor-advised fund. However, there are often minimum initial charitable contributions to establish the DAF (typically $5,000 or more).*
• No transaction fees — Once approved, 100% of your recommended grant goes to your qualified public charity of choice.*
• Privacy if desired — Donors may choose to remain anonymous to the grant recipient.

*Sponsoring organization generally assess an administrative fee on the assets in a DAF. These fees vary by the charity that sponsors a DAF program.

If your Donor-Advised Fund is not compatible above, you can still recommend a grant to Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).  When making your grant recommendation, please provide your name, your mailing address, grant amount, and CSPI’s TAX ID# 23-7122879.

If you have questions about recommending a grant to CSPI through your Donor-Advised Fund, download our one-page DAF reference guide or contact Chris Schmidt at cschmidt@cspinet.org or 202-777-8345.